Manchester City face rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final today with a double-double on the line at Wembley Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side, a week on from their fourth successive Premier League title, face a United side low on confidence after a turbulent season under Erik ten Hag.
The Dutchman’s future is under intense speculation, with a summer of change anticipated at Old Trafford, but an unlikely victory over the champions could prove vital to convince Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his team to persevere with him for next season.
“I am just focusing on the job I have to do and that is first win the game on Saturday and then we are in the project,” Ten Hag said when quizzed on his future. “Keep going in the project. I came here to win trophies and Saturday is another opportunity.”
Follow all the build-up, team news and updates from Wembley Stadium before kick-off below:
Man Utd’s only hope is FA Cup magic in one-sided meeting of rivals
Maybe the greatest uncertainty about the game is just how much of an underdog United are. It’s difficult to think of a final between two major clubs where there has felt such an extreme chasm. The gap is such that the dynamic of this game is much more akin to the Arsenal-Hull City final of 2014 than even last year’s meeting between the same two Manchester clubs.
It is a feeling only accentuated by how they have both immediately returned to the final, with the same successive pairing happening for only the second time in history, but the gap has grown since. City have only strengthened their hold over the English game, as they also aim for the country’s first ever double-double. That was a feat that not even Sir Alex Ferguson managed. The closest he went was doubles in 1994 and 1996, albeit with two runners-up in between. Guardiola can go way beyond that, by adding the FA Cup to this season’s Premier League, on top of last season’s treble.
It is already unprecedented dominance, that has provoked bigger questions for the English game.
Miguel Delaney’s FA Cup final preview:
Karl Matchett25 May 2024 08:00
How Diogo Dalot became Manchester United’s unlikely but welcome exception
There aren’t too many at Old Trafford who, as it stands, will look back on this season fondly. Yet there is a still smaller group of Manchester United players: those who have been fit for all of it.
It leaves a trio as the last men standing: only goalkeeper Andre Onana, Alejandro Garnacho and Diogo Dalot have not been injured. The full-back has leapfrogged the ubiquitous Fernandes to play the most minutes among outfield players, some 4,274. He has only sat out two of United’s 51 matches: when he was suspended at West Ham in December, following his dismissal for dissent at Anfield, and when he was an unused substitute on the opening night against Wolves. He has started 47 of the last 49, including 25 in a row. He has not missed a minute since January.
Jack Rathborn23 May 2024 17:08
